Commuters to benefit from SPTC smart card discounts |06 April 2009

The Seychelles Public Transport Corporation (SPTC) has announced a range of reductions for people buying smart cards.

When it increased fares in January, it said it would look at its operations to see if it could cut fares. Principal secretary for Natural Resources and Transport Veronique Herminie said the company, along with the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Transport, carried out this review and found reductions could be made.

She said the combination of a drop in fuel prices, a slight decrease in exchange rates and the privatisation of the Praslin service has made it possible to offer the discounts on smart cards.

SPTC managing director Daniel Gappy said the company wants to encourage more people to use these cards, which were introduced in 2004.

It has introduced day-fare cards with four trips costing R20 – the customer pays R5 per trip. Passengers using the six-trip day cards are set to benefit the most from the reductions as they will now pay R4.17 for each journey if they buy the R25 smart card.

Other cards where the prices have gone down are the monthly trip cards – the cheapest being the 44-trip card at R286 and the 60-trip card costing R390.

The SPTC said for passengers to benefit from the reductions, they have to buy the appropriate smart card by taking their ID to the top-up office at the bus terminal.

The first card they get to top up is free of charge, but if it is lost or broken the passenger will have to pay R50 for a new one.

The normal adult bus fare will stay at R7. Mrs Herminie said it was not possible to lower it as the SPTC would not break even – it needs to earn R5.98 per passenger to do so.

The SPTC has a wide range of smart cards to cater to the different needs of its passengers. These vary from the parents’ special – for parents needing to drop their children off at school or day care centre on their way to work without having to pay two different fares – to the workers’ special, which caters for those who need to take two buses to get to and from work.

Besides the discounts of up to 15%, Mrs Herminie said the cards are better as passengers do not have to carry cash with them.
She also said it helps to get commuters on the buses faster in the morning as drivers do have to spend time giving change.

Mr Gappy said the cards will also make it possible for the SPTC to hold promotions, which will mean further savings for its customers.

The company will be talking to its customers at the bus terminal on Saturday to explain how the different smart cards are used so passengers can get the ones that suit their travelling needs.

The discounts on smart cards will take effect on April 15 on Mahe and Praslin.
The SPTC said it is looking to buy some 40 new buses so as to reduce the need for further bus fare increases – it spends 35% of its earnings on operating costs for things such as spares, tyres and maintenance. It hopes to get these buses by July.